Wind Pattern and Dispersion in a T-Intersection Street Canyon

Abstract

Each year there has been a steady rise in vehicles plying on roads leading to an increase in roadside pollution. The condition is grimmer in urban sectors and metro cities. The dispersion of vehicular pollution is essential for the health of pedestrians and nearby societies. Factors like street canyon geometry and meteorological conditions play a significant role in dispersing pollution. One of a typical urban road settings includes a T-intersection canyon having buildings alongside it. The current work attempts to numerically study the wind pattern in the proximity of a T-intersection street configuration. The study investigates the effect of incoming wind velocities and building aspect ratio on the turbulence levels and flow zones adjoining the street canyon. It is observed that the flow regime for the configuration when the ratio of building height and street is one is skimming, while the bulk flow does not enter the canyon. The changes in the configuration lead to variations in the formation of distinct vortexes that are stable and isolated. The analysis of velocity profiles shows sharp gradients at the tip of the building but tends to decrease slowly away from the ground. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.